Working at J-Startup Companies Can Earn Extra 10 HSP Points!

September 19 2023 Updated

Point calculation for highly-skilled professionals is a system that gives points for each item, such as education, working experience, annual income, and Japanese proficiency.

If you earn 70 points or more, you can receive preferential treatment in the immigration process.

Sample of HSP point calculation sheet

Click here to open the homepage of the Immigration Services Agency. Scroll downward and you can find the point calculation table (an Excel file) shown above.

When you obtain a visa as a highly-skilled professional, there are several advantages; for example, you can stay for 5 years without exception or you can bring your parents for the purpose of taking care of your children (that is, bringing the children’s grandparents).

Among these treatments, the most popular one for foreign nationals is the waiver of some requirement for permanent residency.

If foreign nationals working in Japan want to apply for permanent resident status, the basic rule requires them to stay in Japan for 10 years before they apply. However, if you have 70 points or more in the point calculation system, you can apply after staying for 3 years, or 1 year if you have 80 points or more.

Residential Status for highly-skilled professionals has 4 categories, (i)(a), (i)(b), (i)(c), and (ii), based on the activities (jobs) the applicant will engage in Japan.

This category targets research, supervision of research, or education under contract with public and private institutions in Japan.

To put it simply, researchers and scholars at research institutions (including private companies) are eligible for this type.

This category targets jobs that require knowledge or skills related to natural sciences or humanities under contract with public and private institutions in Japan.

Basically, office workers at private companies are eligible for this type, but it needs to be a job that requires “knowledge or skills related to natural sciences or humanities.”

This category targets jobs that run or manage the business at public and private institutions in Japan.

You can regard this type as for owners of companies or branch managers and general managers or higher ranks at large companies.

Once you obtain highly-skilled professional (i)(a), (i)(b), or (i)(c) and work for 3 years or more, you can be eligible for (ii).

In the point calculation table for highly-skilled professional (i)(a) or (i)(b), you can find “special additions,” “contracting organizations,” and “I Work for an organization which receives financial support measures (measures provided for separately in a public notice) for the promotion of innovation,” along with “Academic background,” “Professional career,” “Annual salary,” and “Japanese language proficiency.”

This item means that if you work for (or are going to work for) an institution that involves innovative business or research prioritized by the Japanese government, you will receive an extra 10 points.

*This addition is available only for full-time office workers.

This pdf file, published by the Ministry of Justice of innovative business and research, is used to determine whether a company or organization is eligible for points.

In other words, you can’t receive points just by saying that your company is doing something innovative, only if you are involved in a project or research designated by the Japanese government.

On the second page of the list in this pdf file, you will see that the names of various projects are listed in Appendix 2 (related to Article 1).

Can you see that it says “J-Startup Program(J-Startupプログラム)” on page. 11 of the list?

J-Startup is a program founded by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in 2018 and aims to support and develop emerging companies. Its purpose is to cultivate competitive startups for the global market and provide brand-new values to the world with innovative technology and business models.

J-Startup ウェブサイト

Foreign nationals working at J-Startup companies as an office worker can receive 10 points for the calculation for highly-skilled professionals.

Furthermore, you get 10 additional points if your company constitutes a small or medium-sized enterprise under the Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise Basic Act.

As of September 2023, more than 200 companies are listed as selected in the program on the website of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

By September 2023, J-Startup has been spreading to local areas and companies selected in each area may also gain 10 additional points.

J-Startup HOKKAIDO

J-Startup TOHOKU

J-Startup CENTRAL

J-Startup KANSAI

J-Startup NIIGATA

J-Startup KYUSHU

J-Startup WEST

You need to submit documents, such as a letter that proves the company was selected by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to join J-Startup or documents about receiving subsidies.

“How many points do I have?” “Is my company part of the J-Startup program?” If you have questions about how your points are calculated, feel free to contact us!